Selling Highway Removal
The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy has released a new study outlining how highway removal works, and why it is a good idea. It also shares some significant success stories, including the removal of Embarcedro freeway in San Francisco.
Recently I was doing field work around 18th and Halsted, on the near south side of Chicago and I was struck by the difference between the areas just east of the highway over pass and those areas just west.
The highway arches up and over on 18th between Ruble and Union streets creating a vast cavern that is almost intimidating in its size. These areas are pretty barren, with little to no commercial development. A few blocks down, at the intersection of halsted and 18th, there is mixed use, and pedestrians are out and about.The contrast is striking.
It is pretty clear that the highway overpass has damaged the vitality of the area east of the overpass. The overpass has succeeded in its goal of encouraging people to pass through in a hasty manner, but isn't it a better more noble goal to encourage people to want to be where-ever they happen to be? Whats wrong with staying and enjoying where you are at?
When you think about it, it is amazing how cars have taken such priority over planning. It is encouraging to see some remedies and it is important to talk about their successes. Lets try and make the communities we live in better for the people that are there now. Lets not sacrifice their well being for the people merely passing through.